The easiest occupations to break into to qualify for category-based draws under Express Entry

For some foreign nationals, changing careers may be their best shot at receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence (PR) through Express Entry.

If you don’t have a provincial nomination, don’t speak good French, and don’t have a high enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score to be invited under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), you could consider building the work experience necessary to qualify for Express Entry’s occupation category-based draws.

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Category-based draws invite only those candidates in the pool who meet the characteristics of the category, and feature significantly lower cut-off scores than CEC draws.

To qualify for an occupational category-based draw, you need six months of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a single occupation within an Express Entry Category.

In this article, we’ve identified some eligible occupations that are easiest to start gaining work experience in.

The table below summarizes the easiest occupations to break into, including the typical length of time studying or training you’d need to invest before you can begin building the six months’ work experience in that occupation.

We also note the CRS cut-off score for the most recent Express Entry draw in each category, the median pay across Canada for that occupation, and whether each occupation meets the new restrictions on spousal open work permit (SOWP) eligibility.

For some occupations, the time it takes to become qualified to gain work experience will vary depending on the provincial jurisdiction.

Exceeding the minimum requirements may be helpful in getting hired, especially in more competitive job markets.

Below, we provide more detail on each occupation.

Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants

Category: Education

NOC Code: 43100

Median pay: $24.36 hourly

What:

Education assistants support students in classrooms by helping with assignments and integration. They also assist those with special needs, supervise activities, monitor progress, and help teachers with equipment and other tasks.

Getting into the occupation:

You must have completed secondary school education.

In addition, you would usually need to complete a college program in teaching assistance, educational assistance, or other social sciences. The time needed to complete such a program can range between 10 months and two years.

Some positions may also require CPR and first aid training, which are certifications that can be gained within a few days.

Positions that require helping students with special needs may require specialized training.

Insurance agents and brokers

Category: STEM

NOC Code: 63100

Median pay: *$29.77 hourly

What:

Insurance agents sell policies on behalf of specific insurance companies, while insurance brokers work independently on behalf of clients to find and sell suitable policies from across multiple insurers. In most cases, you would work as either an agent or a broker (not both) since the roles involve different licensing and obligations.

Getting into the occupation

You need a secondary school education.

Provinces and territories require individuals to complete a licensing course and pass a qualifying exam. The amount of time it takes to do this depends on the individual but can take a few weeks or several months.

The exam you need to take will depend on the type of insurance you plan to specialize in. For example, in Ontario, one must pass the Other Than Life (OTL) exam to become a general insurance agent, the Life License Qualification Program (LLQP) to become a life insurance agent, and the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) exam to become a broker.

After passing the exam, you will typically need to apply for the licence through the provincial regulator by submitting documentation and paying a licensing fee. Some provinces (like Ontario) require you to be sponsored by an insurance company to get licensed as an agent.

After receiving the licence, insurance agents or brokers need to ensure their licence is up to date by renewing it periodically.

*As is the case with many sales roles, commission factors heavily into the compensation. Life insurance roles are often 100% commission based, while in property insurance roles it’s more common for agents to have base salaries plus commission.

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Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations

Category: Healthcare and social services

NOC Code: 33101

Median pay: $26.35/hour

What:

Medical laboratory assistants collect, label, and prepare samples for testing, log and validate patients, and set up lab equipment.

Getting into the occupation:

Completion of secondary school education is a must.

In addition, you would need to complete a college certification program in medical laboratory science.

The time it takes to complete such a course can be under a year or up to two years.

Employers may also ask for certification such as from the Ontario Society of Medical Technologists (OSMT) or the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS).

These certificates are usually granted to those who have completed a college certification program and then apply for – and pass – a certification exam.

Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates

Category: Healthcare and social services

NOC Code: 33102

Median pay: $23/hour

What:

This group supports patients with daily care tasks such as bathing, feeding, and mobility, while also assisting with medical duties such as taking vital signs, documenting care, and other maintenance tasks.

Getting into the occupation:

To get started in this occupation, you’ll typically need one of the following:

• Some secondary school education along with on-the-job training;
• Completion of a personal support worker, nursing aide, or healthcare aide program (college or private institution); or
• Completion of a college nursing orderly program with supervised practical training.

Some employers may also require CPR and first aid courses, which can usually be completed within a day. A driver’s licence may also be an asset.

Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants

Category: Healthcare and social services

NOC Code: 33103

Median pay: $20/hour

What:

Pharmacy assistants support pharmacists by entering prescription and client information, preparing and labelling medications, and maintaining inventory. They may also handle medical billing and stock shelves.

Getting into the occupation:

Typically, you will need to complete

• Pharmacy Assistant college program (usually 6-12 months); or
• Completion of secondary school and several months of on-the-job training.

Becoming a Pharmacy Technical Assistant requires the completion of up to two years of a Pharmacy Technical Assistance vocational program.

Cooks

Category: Trades

NOC Code: 63200

Median pay: $17/hour

What:

Cooks are responsible for preparing and cooking meals, overseeing kitchen operations, supervising kitchen staff, and maintaining inventory.

Getting into the occupation

A secondary school education is considered an asset.

In addition, one may be asked for the following:

• Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program;
• Completion of college or other program in cooking or food safety; or
• Several years of commercial cooking experience.

Some companies may have additional requirements such as requiring cooks to have a food handler’s certificate (which typically can be obtained in a few days).

Cooking certifications are available but are voluntary in all provinces and territories.

Qualified cooks can also earn a Red Seal endorsement by successfully passing the interprovincial Red Seal exam.

See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams

 

Concrete Finishers

Category: Trades

NOC Code: 73100

Median pay: $32.76/hour

What:

Concrete finishers level and smooth freshly poured concrete on various surfaces, ensuring it meets grade and depth specifications. They work with hand and power tools to impart desired finishes, install fixtures, and apply waterproofing compounds.

Getting into the occupation:

Completing secondary school is usually an asset. Apart from that, you can directly start working as a concrete finisher.

It’s worth noting that to qualify for a trade certification in the occupation, you would need to complete

• A two- to four-year apprenticeship program; or
• At least three years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college, or industry courses in cement finishing.

However, getting a trade certification is voluntary in most provinces and territories (outside Quebec).

Floor covering installers

Category: Trades

NOC Code: 73113

Median pay: $26.92/hour

What:

Floor covering installers measure, cut, and install various types of floor coverings, including carpet and hardwood. They use specialized tools like stretchers, rollers, and adhesives, and may also inspect, repair, and estimate costs for flooring projects.

Getting into the occupation:

You can start working as a floor covering installer. Completing secondary school is an asset.

If you want a trade certification, you would also need:

• To complete a two- to three-year apprenticeship program; or
• At least four years of work experience in the trade and some courses in floor covering installation.

Trade certification for floor covering installers is only compulsory in Quebec. It is available, but voluntary, in all other Canadian provinces and territories.

Red Seal endorsement is also available after the successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Painter and decorator (excludes interior decorator)

Category: Trades

NOC Code: 73112

Median pay: $26/hour

What:

Painters and decorates prepare and clean surfaces, remove wallpaper and loose paint, repair cracks and holes in the wall, sand surfaces, and mix and thin paints to get certain colours and textures. They also advise customers on wall coverings and provide cost estimates.

Getting into the occupation:

You can start working directly, although secondary school education is considered an asset.

To be eligible for trade certification, you would also need to

• Complete a three-to-four year apprenticeship program; or
• Complete at least three years of work experience.

Getting a trade certification is voluntary in most provinces and territories (outside Quebec).

Roofers and shinglers

Category: Trades

NOC Code: 73110

Median pay: $30/hour

What:

Roofers and shinglers install, repair, and replace various roofing systems. They also set up scaffolding for safe access and may estimate materials and project costs.

Getting into the occupation:

For both occupations, completing secondary school is considered an asset.

To be certified as a roofer, you would need to:

• Complete two-to-three-year apprenticeship program; or
• Accumulate at least three years of work experience in the trade.

Having a certification is voluntary in all provinces and territories (with the exception of Quebec).

Shinglers, on the other hand, generally require one to two years of on-the-job training.

Butchers – wholesale and retail

Category: Agriculture and Agri-Food

NOC Code: 63201

Median pay: $19.50/hour

What:

Butchers and meat cutters prepare and package meat, poultry, and seafood for sale or custom orders, manage inventory and displays, and ensure food safety standards are met.

Getting into the occupation:

Those wanting to get into the field can start working immediately, although secondary school education is an asset.

However, a lot of employers may ask for:

• Completion of a college or other butchery training program;
• Food safety training certificate; and/or
• Prior experience.

Butcher training programs can range between four weeks to several months.

Eligibility for category-based draws

To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based round, you must

• Meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry and be eligible for any one of three immigration programs it covers.
• Have accumulated at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) within the past three years, in a single eligible occupation.
• Meet all the requirements in the instructions for that round.

Note: For this article, we’ve looked at occupations primarily in Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) level 3.

These are occupations that usually require

• A college diploma;
• Apprenticeship training of less than two years; or
• More than six months of on-the-job training.

Example

Brian is a 26-year-old media professional, working in Canada on a graduation work permit. He qualifies for the CEC under Express Entry.

He has a CRS score of 470, based on a bachelor’s degree, one year of Canadian work experience, two years of foreign work experience, and CLB 9 in English in all four abilities.

However, this score hasn’t been high enough for him to receive an invitation in any of the 2025 CEC draws held so far.

To improve his chances, Brian applies for an obtains a study permit, enrolls in a college program in Canada in Education, and works full-time as a teaching assistant for six consecutive months. After this, his CRS score increases to 505.

With this new profile, Brian would have qualified for the Education draw on May 1 which had a CRS cut-off score of 479.

If IRCC were to hold another Education category-based draw and the cut-off score were to remain close to that of the previous draw, Brian would be well-positioned to receive an ITA to apply for PR.

See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams